Animation Nation 2009

My last post turned out a lot heavier than I intended. Rest assure that while it is probably not an isolated incident, it will be some time before I recharge my energy enough to churn out a similar piece.

So anyway, Animation Nation is upon us once again. An annual event organized by the Singapore Film Society, Animation Nation showcases animation (duh) from around the world to a local audience who only watches Bleach and Naruto. I kid, I kid.

Of course, Japanese animations, the elephant in the metaphorical room, are always a stable for the event and this year is no different.

This year, we get Mamoru Oshii‘s latest brainchild Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai, cult classic Barefoot Gen and Studio 4°C’s Genius Party Beyond.

Of the three, Mamoru Oshii’s new work probably has the most mainstream appeal considering his landmark Ghost in the Shell movie adaptation which became the direct inspiration for the Matrix. Though Studio 4°C’s Kouji Morimoto did make the trip down to Singapore for AFA 08 last year.

Personally, I am rather interested in catching Barefoot Gen, a WWII story dealing with the Hiroshima bombing. It’s one of those easy to appreciate but hard to watch oldies. Hard to watch in the sense that hardly anyone knows about it and the lack of peer-originated incentive to watch it leaves in obscured in the back of one’s mind, far away from the limelight under which the new and the cool gloriously bask.

Still, I’ve been wanting to watch it for quite some time now. I am always intrigued by how differently people view the atomic bombings, an issue that remains polarizing to this day. Maybe I’ll write a paragraph or two on that topic someday…

Waltz with Bashir, an Israeli title, looks like it might be interesting too. You can find a full list of the films being showcased at Animation Nation 2009 on the official site.